Hi, I’m Yukari! I’m a home cook married to Aric, a talented chef, and together we share practical, encouraging kitchen content for people who want to cook more at home without feeling overwhelmed. We believe food is more than fuel. It can be comfort, connection, creativity, and a small way to care for yourself and the people you love. Here, you’ll find budget-friendly cooking ideas, meal prep help, relatable stories, and simple encouragement to help home cooking feel more possible in real life. And yes, you’ll also occasionally meet Senna, our Bernese Mountain Dog, and Ka-En, our ginger cat, who are very committed to supervising everything we cook. 🐶🐱 If you’re looking for cooking that feels more doable, cozy, and joyful, welcome.
Why Puerto Vallarta Feels Home to Us 🏝️
🇲🇽Hello from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!Hello Reader, It's Yukari! Quick hello from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! 🌴 When you read this email, we’ll be soaking up the sunshine in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. 🏡 Our Third Place We call “Home.”People often ask us why Puerto Vallarta means so much to us, so here’s the short version. I was born in Osaka, Japan, and Aric was born in Colorado. Aric moved to Japan and lived there for 7 and a half years. We met at a Mexican pop-up restaurant in Osaka, Japan (yes, really 😄) owned by an American. Years later, while traveling through different cities in Mexico, we fell in love with Puerto Vallarta and made the big decision to live here for over 2.5 years. We returned to Colorado in 2020. COVID played a role, but so did how much we missed the friends and community we’d built back home. Puerto Vallarta became our third home — alongside Japan and Colorado — and it continues to shape how we cook, eat, and live. 🧡 🧊Frozen vs. Fresh: Taste Test Series!AND… we’re kicking off something fun when we’re back in Denver!
Then I’d be blindfolded and decide which tastes better, and give verdict. 🫣 🐹Want to Be A Our Taste Test Guinea Pig?If you live in the Denver Metro area and love food (or are very opinionated about it 😄), we’d love to have you join us for a blind taste test! 👉 Just reply to this email with “Taste Test.” We’ll send details soon! In the meantime, come travel with us ✈️ We’ll be posting behind-the-scenes on Instagram from Puerto Vallarta! |
The Kitchen Table with Aric and Yukari
Hi, I’m Yukari! I’m a home cook married to Aric, a talented chef, and together we share practical, encouraging kitchen content for people who want to cook more at home without feeling overwhelmed. We believe food is more than fuel. It can be comfort, connection, creativity, and a small way to care for yourself and the people you love. Here, you’ll find budget-friendly cooking ideas, meal prep help, relatable stories, and simple encouragement to help home cooking feel more possible in real life. And yes, you’ll also occasionally meet Senna, our Bernese Mountain Dog, and Ka-En, our ginger cat, who are very committed to supervising everything we cook. 🐶🐱 If you’re looking for cooking that feels more doable, cozy, and joyful, welcome.
Hello Reader, It's Yukari! I hope you had a beautiful Easter and got to enjoy a little spring sunshine. Food, Connections, and Memories Last Easter Sunday, Aric and I were invited to our clients’ Easter crab boil party, and it was one of those gatherings that reminded me why food matters so much. They went all out. There were inflatable unicorn and lobster costumes for the egg hunt, little eggs filled with chocolates and gifts, and a few hidden golden eggs with special surprises. And, of...
Hello Reader, It's Yukari! Do you meditate? Because I don’t. 😅But a few days ago in Muay Thai class, my coach said something that stuck with me:“This is your time. It’s a beautiful, quiet moment to have.”Muay Thai moves fast, but he meant we still needed to slow down, stay calm, and focus on the technique.And somehow, that made me think about cooking. Is Cooking Really Stressful or Just Not Worth the Effort? We hear messages all the time:You’re busy. 😫Cooking is hard. 🥺Let us do it for you....
Hello Reader, It's Yukari! It’s March in Colorado, and somehow it’s already hot and dry. Our dish pit pup, Senna, is hiding inside, but our sous chef kitten, Ka-En the firecracker, is living his best life in the sunny window.Last Saturday, I attended a Muay Thai seminar to improve my timekeeping responsibility. I brought extra coffee and a notebook. I came home with a fried brain and one big reminder: You Learn by Doing It You don’t learn just by watching. You learn by doing.And that’s...